If you ever wondered what Stephen King’s very first story written was, you’re about to see it realized on the big screen. THE LONG WALK is actually based on a tale King wrote in 1968 while in college under his Richard Bachman pen name, and was almost certainly meant to be an allegory for the young men marching into the jungles of Vietnam to fight a war… one for which many would not survive.

In an alternate Earth, following a great war, many are left poor and desperate, and living under the thumb of military rule and censored teachings. There is a contest held once a year in which 50 young men can sign up to compete by walking, and only one can win by lasting the longest. If you win, you get untold riches and whatever you wish. But here’s the catch – if you fall short of three miles per hour in pace, or stop walking, you are shot and killed in front of the other contestants. Cooper Hoffman plays Ray Garraty, a young man dropped off by his recently widowed mother Ginnie (Judy Greer) who clearly doesn’t want him to compete. Ray quickly meets Peter McVries (David Jonsson), an optimistic young man that forms a bond with Ray and encourages him during their perilous journey. Overseeing this is a man simply known as The Major, played by Mark Hamill, who pumps up the boys and suggests this is a great destiny for them… but he isn’t afraid to take them out one by one as they walk to the point of exhaustion or mental breakdown. And to make matters worse, all of this is televised for the world to see.

Directed by Francis Lawrence, who previously helmed some of THE HUNGER GAMES franchise, this movie is more of a slow burn that methodically takes the audience through a rough journey. As the miles increase with on-screen indicators, we can’t help but feel for these boys and what they’re going through, and wonder if any of us could possibly do the same. Cooper Hoffman is excellent as Ray, a young man compelled to participate, but also harboring a secret motive. David Jonsson is also wonderful as his unlikely friend Peter, who is always trying to see the positives even when things are at their most bleak. Their chemistry and interaction drives the film, and makes it quite engaging for the audience. Mark Hamill is effectively nasty as The Major, probably one of the darkest roles of his career. The supporting cast all do good work, particularly Ben Wang, who most recently starred in KARATE KID LEGENDS.

Lawrence is never shy about showing the horrors of this competition in graphic detail, and there is a heavy sense of dread and doom running throughout the film – this reminded me of Frank Darabont’s THE MIST adaptation, especially considering some of the changes from the source material. Thankfully, it doesn’t show all of the gruesome detail of how the extensive walking affects the bodies and skin of the contestants, but it’s still a hard watch at times. The ending (don’t worry, I won’t spoil it) actually deviates from the book as well, but feels like a necessary and acceptable resolve with just the right amount of ambiguity. This is a movie that leaves you with more questions than answers, which may be frustrating for some.

THE LONG WALK is an important entry in the world of Stephen King cinema, and boasts strong leading performances and powerful moments. I’m very glad it finally got made, and I was satisfied with the end result, but the heavy subject matter and dark storytelling make this a movie I doubt I’d revisit… that’s not to say it isn’t worth watching, but it’s the kind of movie that will leave you devastated and in need of something more… pleasant.

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